Document lists 15 points Mindanao action plan submitted

By EJ Dominic Fernandez
STAKEHOLDERS of Mindanao from diverse organizations came up with a 15-point action plan to attain a “greener, better, and peaceful Mindanao” during the first ever Mindanao Development Forum (MDF) held at The Marco Polo Davao Friday.
The action plan was based on the output of five breakout sessions of the MDF whose members discussed such topics as (1) peace, justice and security; (2) good governance and anti-corruption drive; (3) human development and poverty reduction; (4) economic development; and (5) climate change adaptation/mitigation.
The action plan, written in the form of a resolution, will be discussed by the Philippine Development Forum (PDF) to be held in Davao City on Monday. It will be graced by President Aquino who is expected to make policy announcements with far-ranging implications.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Luwalhati Antonino said the resolution was drafted in order “to enhance policy dialogue and allow public discourse on Mindanao’s development priorities and imperatives to push for the progressive Mindanao development agenda.”
Out of the planned actions, three are dedicated to the peace, justice and security cluster, namely: “To harmonize conflicting policies, with special attention to land laws, especially the implementation of The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) law; participation by more stakeholders, especially the indigenous people, in the peace process, specifically on the formulation of the annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB); and that there shall be more effort to level up the information drive on programs projects and policies.”
Three were also dedicated to the economy cluster which is to “streamline licensing and registration, promote mini-hydro and power infrastructure, and create policy reforms for the power and infrastructure sector; to adopt technical solutions to climate change; and improvement in business regulations and property rights (small/medium enterprises mining agriculture and land).”
The environment cluster will focus more on climate change mitigation and adaptation with action plans, including, “climate change and disaster proofing of land use, development plans and regulatory tools; promote strong multi-sectoral coordination and community participation; and implement climate change adaptation and mitigation measures under natural resources management and infrastructure development.”
For the governance cluster, the action plans are, “to promote and establish an effective, accessible and responsive justice system; to better capacitate the local government units on governance; and to promote citizen participation in running the affairs of government.”
On human development and poverty reduction cluster, the action plans are, “to build the capacity at the local level to plan and implement from the bottom (bottom-up planning and budgeting); to use accurate data as basis for planning monitoring and recording; to strengthen multi-agency and development stakeholder coordination and collaboration.”
There were 274 leaders from different sectors who took part in the 1st MDF, with 22 coming from the academe, 23 from civil society, 25 from the business sector, nine from local government units, 43 from international funding agencies, while the chunk of participants came from the government with 124.
Earlier that day, in a press conference, Antonino said, ”We will be presenting what we want here in Mindanao,” assuring the media that what is presented in the MDF will reach the Philippine Development Forum (PDF) which will also be held at The Marco Polo Davao on Monday.
Director General of the Philippine National Economic and Development Authority, Arsenio Balisacan, said, “The main reason we have to hold the PDF in Davao City is precisely to highlight Mindanao.”